Weight printing attachment for scales



Oct. 4, 1932. COOK 1,880,314

WEIGHT PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR SCALES Filed May 7, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. f/uqo 600K.

ATTORNEYS.

- 0a. 4, 1932. H. COOK 1,880,314

WEIGHT PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR SCALES Filed May 7, 192:; 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. H1160 C'a 0K, 5 h BY (41"1 M A TTORNEXS.

Oct. 4, 1932. CQQK 1,880,314

WEIGHT PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR SCALES Filed May 7, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. fluco 600K.

A TTORNEY$.

Oct. 4, 1932. 300

WEIGHT PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR SCALES Filed May '7 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I N VEN TOR. f/ucn COOK.

Lyon 65432 0 A TTORNEY5.

Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES HUGO COOK, OF SOUTHPORT, INDIANA WEIGHT PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR SCALES Application filed May 7,

My invention relates to a method of and apparatus for operatively controlling more ponderous mechanism by any instrument of precision, or like means, and which is too delicate or sensitive to itself operate or control the operation of the same, such as scales more particularly of the automatic type, electrio and other meters, and other apparatus usually where great accuracy, reliability and freedom from human error may be required.

Heretofore, many attempts have been made to accomplish the same, but they have failed to commercially and usefully accomplish the same due to the fact that a high order of skill is required in the design and construction of the present instruments of precision such that they may perform their present minimum functions with such frictionless accuracy as to comply with the requirements of uniform sensitive-honesty long established by commerce and the penal laws, and that the operation or control of any further mech anism thereby, however frictionlessly the same may be made, has heretofore always intrenched upon such requirements and rendered the whole apparatus highly unreliable and worse than useless.

The prime object of this invention is to provide such novel method and apparatus as will not practically impair the sensitivity of the selected precision instrument by its control of the operation of other mechanism proportionate thereto, or to a function thereof, however ponderous said other mechanism may be, and whereby said other mechanism may evidence by its said controlled operation any desired function or functions of said precision instrument with the same uniform dependable accuracy substantially as possessed by said instrument when employed alone.

To attain these and other objects, and in accordance with the general features of this unitary and related invention, said new and useful method broadly contemplates the inclusion of the steps of associating an instrument of precision and more ponderous mechanism desired to be operated in proportion thereto, or to a function thereof, in co-operative relation; associating a control means with said instrument so as to be operated 1925. Serial No. 28,629.

thereby in proportion thereto, or to a function thereof; employing said instrument preferably in its usual manner and which employment will proportionately operate or influence said control means; operating said more ponderous mechanism independent of said instrument and with as much force as may be necessary; and controlling the extent of said last stated operation by the physical contact with said control means of part of said mechanism, and which said contact is of such delicacy and brevity as not to practically impair the sensitivity of said precision instrument. Other steps, and incidental qualifications of the aforesaid steps, of my said method will amply appear hereinafter and in the claims.

To demonstrate the practical utility of my said method, a related, improved and novel apparatus embodying my unitary invention, and which may be advantageously and economically employed in practicing my said method with uniform great accuracy and reliability as a unitary invention, is provided by me to also serve as an example, to those skilled in the art, of the facility with which, after becoming familiar with my invention, the forms and kinds of existing apparatus, with or without substantial modification, may be employed in the efficient practice of my said method in like or kindred production. And from said example and this specification it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that my novel method may be practiced by many forms of apparatus,other than herein shown and specifically described, selected in proper units and cooperative association with relatively slight change or addition.

The foregoing and other objects of my invention will be more apparent from the following considerations of its functions from the novel apparatus aspect of my invention.

My present invention relates broadly to means for measuring, indicating or record ing degrees of movement, or equivalent values, of instruments of precision or devices where the force required to move such means directly by such instrument or device would detract from the precision of the result and render the same commercially inaccurate.

In such apparatus anything which is not commercially accurate and precise is worse than useless and promotive of obliquity and fraud.

More specifically my invention relates to Weighing scales, or other mechanism, of such sensitiveness as to preclude its direct operation of the means for measuring, indicating or recording, which may be evidenced either by the relative movement of type members and their printing point, or indicating members and their point of indication, or other recording members and their recording point; and an indication may be achieved either directly or indirectly by means of a printed ticket for instance; all as convenience may require and the experience of one skilled in the art may employ after becoming familiar with my invention.

In my invention the primary or weighing or like sensitive mechanism is wholly independent of the indicating, recording or other mechanism, but said primary mechanism operates one or more control members, and I provide mechanical means independent of said primary means for driving said indicating, recording or other mechanism and disconnecting or arresting the same at va riable points in the movement of said driving means, said variable points being determined by said one or more control members by such sensitive mechanical means that the precision of the primary mechanism may not be detracted from in any practical degree.

In the past it has been endeavored to move control members by the weighing scale and to cause said members to be impinged by, and to resist or bear, the operating thrust or force required to move the indicating or recording mechanism corresponding to the position of said members, but the same has always been impractical and inaccurate owing to the main facts that the required force of said impingement substantially disturbs the weighing scale and renders commercially inaccurate the whole result as well as each component element thereof; and further hat the necessary state of all instruments of precision is that of sensitive unrest, and the required force of such impingement precludes such sensitive unrest, and when, as frequently happens, that something is added to, or is taken from, or falls off, the scale platform during the weighing period, the result is not only highly inaccurate but the mechanism is liable to be severely strained or broken.

I have attained the requisite commercial practical and accurate results in such mechanical means by operating the indicating or recording means independent of said weighing or primary means, and by providing the said operating means with one or more hair-triggers adapted to delicately touch a control member or members operated by the scale or primary mechanism to trip and release said indicating or recording means from further movement, or to be arrested in their travel, at the point accurately indicating or recording to the sensitive result of said weighing or primary mechanism at the instant of tripping of said one or more hair-triggers. The delicacy and sensitive ness of the contact of said one or more hairtriggers on said control member or members is such that neither the normal sensitive unrest of the scale or primary mechanism, nor the accuracy of the result he interfered with, nor the mechanism be liable to being strained or broken by anything being added to or taken or falling from the scale during the indicating or recording movement, as in either of the latter cases the hair-trigger is tripped at a known wrong point and the operating means must be reoperated before the true result will be recorded.

In the preferred form of my invention I employ a plurality of said control members and hair-triggers, one for each of the unitary or component parts of the indicating, recording or analogous mechanism, so that each may be tripped or released in a different position whenever required to indicate or record the true result. Simultaneously with the releasing or tripping of 'each of said hairtriggers I provide means for temporarily locking each indicating or recording means in the position attained at the time of the releasing or tripping its corresponding hairtrigger, so that the true figures or result may be evidenced without liability to change. I also provide means for properly aligning the true figures or characters evidencing the true result, so that in such alignment of such figures or characters on the several members no liability to error may occur in their indication or recording.

Some portions of the foregoing general result have been heretofore striven for by employing electrical circuits and other electrical apparatus, but the same was so liable to undisclosed current and other failures and uncertainties that the same were impractical commercially in instruments of precision and the same never attained more than a laboratory test.

In the form on my invention which experience has indicated to be preferable for the most satisfactory attainment of commercially practical results under the conditions I have met most generally in practice, I provide the independent operating means with a definite movement at each operation; and I divide such movement into two cycles, or portions of such movement, each of a definite and uniform extent of such movement at each operation. The first of said cycles being that period of the movement of said operating means in which first, the detail strip is printed with the amount of the present indication, and then the indicating, recording or like members are returned to zero or initial position; while in said second cycle said indicating, recording or like members are set to evidence the true result of the present operation determined by said hair-triggers tripped by said control member or members movable proportionate to the scale or inst ument of precision. The hair-triggers are so releasable in any of the many ciiferent portions of movement of said operating means throughout its second cycle, and thus for the uniform movement of the driving or operating means a variable movement is imparted to the indicating, recording or like member or members, and said variable movement is proportionate to the movement of the control member or members.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the character above described of simplified and compact form which will operate for recording weights or other data, within a wide range with comparative accuracy. Thus weights of a fraction of apound may be printed, as well weights to the extent of several thousand pounds.

This invention is also applicable to devices other than scales, wherein it is desired to record certain data which is effected by a part of the device being moved to a gi en position in the same manner that a scale will be brought to a given position upon being operated for weighing purposes.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following disclosure in the drawings and specification as pertaining to the structural features of the mechanism and their cooperation.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine without its case or cabinet and showing it attached to the portion of a scale and illustrating the connection therewith of an auxiliary printing segment. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine showing the side frame removed therefrom. Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of 2. Fig. a is a side elevation showing the printing segment for the hundreds with the actuating mechanism therefor. Fig. 5 is the same as Fig. 4, showing the printing segment for the tens, with the actuating mechanism therefor. Fig. 6 is the printing segment for the ones. Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of the segment shown in 5. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the opposite side of the machine from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatical illustration showing the respective figures on the printing faces of the several segments. Fig. 10 shows a detail of the locking device.

In the drawings there is shown a machine comprising the side frame 10 mounted on the operating side thereof and the side frame 11 mounted on the opposite side or the side embodying the driving mechanism. At the front of the machine there is provided an outwardly extending arm 12 extending forwardly from said machine having pivotally mounted thereon a stepped down disk 13 and a second ratchet tooth disk 14. It will be noted that the stepped down disk 13 is provided with a substantially spiral periphery, its periphery being stepped down from the point A to the point B, there being provided ten of such steps representing ten digits for numerical purposes. The disk 1 1 retains the same average diameter, and is provided with ten ratchet teeth of equal length. and depth, being distinguished from the disk 13 in this respect.

As shown herein the disks 13 and 1 1 are associated with the face 15 of the scale having a hand 16 for indicating the weight on the drum or face 15, said drum being stationary and the hand 16 being rotatably mounted in connection with said disks at the center thereof. A pinion 17 is associated with the hand 16 and said disks in position to be engaged and actuated by a rack bar 18, said rack bar being held in position by a roller 19. The disks 13 and 11, as well as the hand 16 and pinion 17 are keyed upon the same shaft or connected in any other suitable manner so as to rotate in unison. The rack bar 18 is engaged and actuated by a beam 20 of the scale, said beam being fulcrumed at 21, and supporting upon a suitable knife edge 22 a rod 23 which supports the usual scale platform. On the other side of the fulcrum 21 the counterbalance support 24: is supported by a rod 25 from the knife edge Thus it will be observed that upon the actuation of the scale, the disks 13 and 1'1 will be caused to rotate with the hand or pointer 16. In order that a wide range of weights may be recorded, there is provided a counterbalance weight supporting rack 27 having a plurality of annular step-like seats 28 in which the weights 29154 are adapted to rest and be supported directly over the support 25. Said rack is supported by the rods 29 arranged as a parallelogram and con nected with a support 30, forming a part of the case, cabinet or framework, whereby the rack 27, when lowered or elevated, will move in a vertical plane. The rack 27 is lowered or elevated by a handle 31 through the medium of a link 32, said handle being fulcrumed at on a suitable support 3% forming part of the case, cabinet or framework. Connected with the handle 31 on the other side of the fulcrum 32 there is a. connecting rod 35 pivotally connecting a printing segment or member 36, said segment or member having an arcuate face 37 upon which is provided the type 38, said type being in the form of blocks indicating such figures, for instance, as l, 2, 3, land 5. [is shown herein there are live sets of blocks equally spaced apart. at the center of curvature of the arcuate face 37 a pin is pivoted as at 39 to the frame 10 so as to be moved up and down about the pivotal support 39 through the medium of the rod 35 by the operation of the lever 31. Adjacent the handle of the lever 31 there is an indicating plate 40 hav ing a plurality of notcl cs 41 adapted to be engaged by the handle, said notches being indicated by numerals corresponding to those upon the arcuate face 3'7.

This portion of the machine operates independently of the automatically actuated printing members and is employed in addition thereto when the weight on the scale reaches a high figure and is counterbalanced by the counterbalance weights 24a. in other words, it is not controlled by the rotary movement of the drum actuated direct from the beam of the scale, as is the case with the other printing segments which will hereinafter be more fully described. it will be observed that when the weight of the ord nary scale, for purposes of plus ition, er:- ceeds 1,000 pounds, the usual nra-cace is to add a counterbalance weight 24a, represent ing i000 pounds. This may be done in this instance by bringing the handle from the Zero mark to that indicating 1000, and thus lower the supporting rack 27 until th lowermost counterbalance we ght 9A6; rests upon the weight support Q-l. Thus a 1000 pound counterbalance w ight will be aoded to the scale, and at the same time, the prin g segment 36 will be brought to a position to print the numeral 1, indicatirg 1000 pounds. Upon lowering the handle to the i000 pound mark, the lowermost four counterbalance weights 24a will be applied to the scale and the numeral l (indica -ag 4000 pounds printed by the segment which will accordingly be moved to that position.

As shown in 2, there a plurality of printing segments 50, and 52, each of the pivoted at 89 and having arcuate printing faces 53, 5% and 55, respectively, the pivotal mounting 39 of the respe tive segments being at the center of curvature of their respective printing face On e: h of the printing faces ther is 50, ton on each face, repre en n zero to nine for printing purp ses, will here after be descrioed.

It will be explained that in printing a given weight up to 999, the position of the segments about the pivotal mounting 39 must be controlled by the n'iovement or position of the disks 13 and i i, which are rotated to gether with the pointer 16 by the movement of the scale beam. ()n the other hand, weights registering above 1000 will bring into play the printing segment 36 independently of said disks and controlled exclusively by the handle 31 and the counterbalance weights.

Considering now the printing segment 50, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and l, it will be noted that the type form the figures 0 to 9, inclusive, beginning at the top of the segment and ending with tne numeral 9 at the bottom. intermediate the printing face 53 there is an arcuate plate 60 having a plurality of ratchet teeth (51 formed on an arc eccentric to the pivotal mounting 39. Associated with the segment 50 and cooperating therewith, there is a rack bar 62 slidable in the frame and the teeth of which mesh with a pinion 03 formed partially about a disk G l, said disk forming a part of the segment and being rigidly secured thereto. it will be seen, therefore, that upon the pivotal movement of the segment 50, the rack bar 62 will be moved back and forth. Adjacent said rack bar and ioable along the side thereof there is a simi .ai' latching bar (55 which is positioned immediately in front of the rack bar 62 so that the 'rcatcr portion thereof is hidden therefrom shown in Figs. 2 and l. Both of i bars are slidably mounted upon a fixed block 66, which is supported by the frame and provided with an car 07. The bar 05 has pivoted on one end thereof a forwardly projecting and preferably pointed hair-trig 08 which is so positioned as to engage the periphery of the dish On the rack bar c2 there is provided a pawl 69 which is s pring-prcssed by 1 spring 70 and adapted to engage in a suitable notch 69?) on the bar to.

(59 engages in the notch 69?) provided for that purpose in the bar 65. 'lChereupon the reverse or downward movement of the segment will act through the medium of the rack-bar 62 and its pawl 69 to move the bar (35 forwardly until the trigger G8 lightly touches the periphery of the disk 13, which said touching will trip th pawl 69 and cause the bar 05 to be released and quickly move rearwardly through the action of the spring 71 until said bar 65 comes to its tripped position of rest ith its adjusting screw 65?) in contact with fixed bloclr 60. The bar 05 is provided with an upwardly extending post 72 having a stop screw 73 mounted thereon in position to engage and arrest a stop projecnon i l mounted on a latch bar 75. The rack bar (32 is also provided with a post 76 upon which the latch bar is slidably mounted and which is connected thereto by a spring 77 which normally holds stop-projection 74 in contact with stop-screw 73 to thereby normally maintain said latch bar 75 with its pin 79 a uniform distance out of latching engagement with the ratchet teeth 61. The forward end of the latch bar is slidably supported upon a fixed plate 78 which is grooved to receive and guide the forward end thereof as well as extend through a slot in said bar below which is provided a pin 79 for engaging said ratchet teeth 61.

Near the beginning of each operation of handle 140 the segment 50 is caused, by means hereinafter described, to move up wardly to zero or normal position. Said upward movement, through gear 64; meshlng with the teeth of rack-bar 62, causes said bar 62, with its post 76 carrying latch-bar 75, to move rearwardly until stop-pin 74: engages adjustable stop-screw 78, during which movement pin 79 ratchets in and out of teeth 61, which moves bar 75 longitudinally with its slot 750 slidably supported by stud-screw 75b.

Toward the latter part of said upward movement of segment 50 said pin 79 rides upon the smooth surface 61a of plate to enable the downward motion of segment 50 to be commenced without liability of its being locked therefrom by pin 79 engaging, for instance, in the lowermost tooth 61 in the initial portion of the next upward movement of segment 50 before it. has moved to the extent necessary to position pin 79 a clearance distance from teeth 61. The whole inner edge of bar 60, comprising teeth 61 and surface 61a, is eccentric to shaft 39, to the extent of the longitudinal movement of bars 62, 65 and 75, whereby pin 79, at all points throughout the relative movement of segment 50 and pin 79, is maintained at a uniform clearance distance from each tooth 61 to insure its engagement with the proper tooth 61 selected by the tripping of hair-trigger 68.

The adjustment of stop-screw 78 enables compensation for variance, in wear or in manufacture, to be made respecting the clearance between pin 79 and teeth 61; while stopscrew 65?) afiords like adjustment of the clearance between the shoulder of notch 69b and the nose of pawl 69 at the rearmost positions of bars 62 and 65.

As segment 50 moves downward, bars 62 and 65, connected by pawl 69, move forward causing the stop screw 73 to engage the stop 7 4 and move the latch bar 75 forwardly simultaneously with the other two bars, and thus maintaining the pin 79 from engagement with the ratchet teeth 61. As before stated, the general curvature of the ratchet tooth edge of the arcuate plate 60 is eccentric so as to follow the forwardly moving pin 79, wherefore said pin will remain in close proximity with the ratchet teeth at. all times. Immediately upon the point of the hairtrigger 68 lightly engaging the peripheral edge of the disk 13, the pawl 69 will be tripped and the bar 65 will be moved bacle wards by the tension of spring 71 until its stop-screw 65b comes in contact with the fixed block 66, in which position said bar 65 is in its tripped position of rest. Simultaneously with said tripping of hair-trigger 68 the ratchet-bar 75 is drawn rearward in slot 760 by spring 77 until its pin 79 engages in the proper tooth 61 to lock segment 50 in the correct position to enable the proper result to be printed or indicated. It will be observed that the particular ratchet tooth which would be engaged would depend upon the speed at which springs 71 and 77 move their respective bars 65 and 75 to position the segment arresting pin 79 and by the position of the segment 50 when the trigger 68 engages the disk 18, and that is in turn determined by the position of the disk 13 which varies in diameter, which is controlled by the weight on the scale. Accordingly, assuming that the digits on the segment represent hundreds and a 500 pound article is placed on the scale, the disk 13 will be rotated thereby to such a position that the engagement of the periphery thereof by the latch 68 will cause the 500 mark ratchet tooth on the segment to be engaged and hold the segment in position to print the numeral 5. The means for returning the segment to starting position after the operation thereof, will be hereinafter described with respect to the other segments as well. 6

Referring now to the segment 51, as best shown in Fig. 5, it will be noted that the arcuate plate 80 is provided with the ratchet teeth 81, positioned upon the outer edge thereof and in an are having its center of radius at 39. The inner edge of the plate is provided with a plurality of teeth 82 and has its radius of curvature eccentric to 39. The teeth 82 are so sized as to provide ten of such teeth to one tooth 81. This segment 51 is the tens of pounds member and is constructed, in itself and with its co-operating parts, similar to that above described for segment 50, and as follows :Attached to segment 51 is a disk 641a having pinion teeth 63a adapted to engage the teeth of the rack bar 62a which is slidably mounted together with the bar 65a on the fixed block 66, wh ch is provided with an ear 67a and slidably held thereon by the fixed plates 66a. The rack bar 6266 is provided with a pawl 69a and the bar 65a is provided with a trigger finger 68a, and is moved rearwardly by a spring 71a upon the trigger 68a engaging the periphery of the disk 14. Mounted upon the rear of the bar 620 is a post 7 6a on which is pivotally mounted a latch support 75a, said latch support extending into a slot in the plate 78 and said plate 78 extending through a slot in said latch support, separating the upper portion from the lower portion 7 55. while the rear end of said bar 7 5a is also held in lateral position by a slot in the rear edge of said plate 78 (Figs. 5 and 2). Pivotally mounted on the post 76a, there is a latch member 76?) connected by a spring 7 7 a to the support a. The lower portion of said latch member 765 is pivoted to a dog 79a which in turn is fulcrumed to the portion 7 5b of the support 7564 in position to engage the teeth 82 upon the inner edge of plate 89a. The bar (35a is provided with the upwardly extendin por tion 72a having a stop screw 7361' so positioned as to engage and stop the rearward movement of the latch member 7 6b.

lVith respect to this mechanism, as above observed in connection with the segment 50, upon the segment 51 being drawn upward in setting the machine, the rack bar 62a will be drawn rearwardly until the pawl 69a drops into notch 690 on the bar 65a where it is pressed down by a spring 7 0a. Upon further operation of the machine, as the segment 51 is lowered, the forward movement imparted to the rack bar 650; will move the hair-trig ger 68a and the bar 65a forwardly until said hair-trigger engages the periphery of the disk let. The position of the bars at such engagement will be varied, depending upon the rotary position of said disk as controlled by the scale in the manner above described. By reason of the eccentric curvature of the ratchet teeth of said disk, the radius thereof will be varied at a given point throughout the length of each tooth. Accordingly, the trigger finger will be tripped at some period during the downward movement of the segment 51 and will so act as to cause the dog 79a to bear against and engage the teeth 82 and arrest the further movement of the segment. This is accomplished through the disengagement of the ratchet bar 76?) by the stop screw 7 3a so as to permit the spring 77a to actuate the same for operating the dog.

Considering now the segment 52, as shown in Fig. 6, it is provided with an arcuate plate having a plurality of ratchet teeth 91 on the rearward edge thereof. As will be ob served herein, all but the top one of said teeth are cut off to an increasing extent toward. the lower partof the plate.

By means which will be hereinafter described with respect to all three segments, the segment 52 is raised upwardly simultaneous 1y with the others, but in descending'is timed to move after segment 51 has reached the limit of its downward movement. Upon the segment 51 being tripped and locked in position by the dog 7 9a, an arm 92, extending between segment 51 and 52, will be actuated to cause a dog 93, extending from opposite sides of said arm 92, to engage between a pair of the ratchet teeth 81. The arm 92 is so arranged that it will be engaged at some point intermediate the projecting and crotch portion of one of the teeth 81, depending upon the position at which said teeth are stopped by the dog 79a engaging a tooth 82, as shown in Fig. 7. This will depend upon the particular teeth 82 between which the dog 7 9a engages. As there are ten of the teeth 82 to one of the teeth 81, should the dog 79a engage in the fourth tooth 82, then the dog 93 will extend only four tenths of the depth of the engaged teeth 81. New considering the segment 52 in connection with this action of the dog 93, it will be observed that the lateral position of the pin will be determined by the particular tooth 82 which is engaged by the dog 7 9a. In turn, this lateral position of the dog 93 will determine which of the teeth 91 will catch thereon in the downward movement of the segment 52. .As shown in Fig. 7, since the tooth 91 extends inwardly of the teeth 81 only four tenths of the distance,,it will be engaged by the fourth tooth 91. The segment 52 will accordingly be arrested at this point, which will print the numeral It will be observed from the above that while the segment 50 is controlled by one disk having ten different radii so that the particular numeral from 9 to 9 will be presented for printing, depending upon which radius of the disk 13 is presented, and accordingly print the hundreds, the segment 51 will print divisions of the hundreds, or tens by its being actuated through the medium of the disk 14. lVith respect to the ones, as printed by the segment 52, they will be determined through the arrangement just described with respect to the dog 93, or through the exact positioning of the segment 51 through the medium of the engagement of the teeth 82 by the dog 7 9a, and the particular radius of the disk 1a where the trigger finger 6860 engages. While the action of the mechanism controlling segment 50 properly aligns the type thereon, and the positive engagement of the teeth 91 by the dog 93 on the segment 52 positively aligns the type thereon, means is provided, which will hereinafter be described, for aligning the type of the segment 51 after it has functioned to position the segment 52. That mechanism will now be described.

As shown in Fig. 2, the arm 92 is pivoted at 95 to the free end of an arm 96 which in turn is pivoted to a shaft 97 which is sup ported between the frames. An arm 98 is keyed on the shaft 97 and a bell crank lever 99 is likewise keyed to the shaft 97. Said bell crank lever is provided with a slot 100 at one end in which a pin 191, protruding from the arm 96, is adapted to slide. The other end of the bell crank lever 99 is provided with a screw pin 102 adapted to slide in a suitable longitudinal slot 103a provided in an arm 103, said arm having one end pivotally connected at 104; to the arm 92, while the other end is connected by a spring 105 with a pin 106 mounted on the frame. Therefore, said spring has a tendency through the arm 103 to draw the lever 92 to the left and cause the dog 93 to engage in the teeth 81 and 91. The arm 98 has one end connected through a hook 107 with a spring 108, which is not shown in Fig. 2, but is shown in Fig. 1 connected with the frame. Furthermore, said arm 98 is pivotally connected with a rod 109 which extends upwardly and is provided with a roller 110 adapted to be engaged and actuated by a cam 111 against the tension of said spring 108. Mounted on the arm is a leaf spring 112 adapted to engage under a pin 113 fixedly mounted on the frame so as to normally exert a downward pressure on said arm 96. The downward movement thereof is limited by a stop 114C.

The action involved in this mechanism is such that as the cam 111 is rotated, in the manner hereinafter described, and the roller rides in the relieved portion 115 thereof, the spring 108 will cause the arm 96 to be moved downwardly so that, through hell crank 99, the screw 102 will move forwardly in its slot 103a, thereby moving the bar 103 to the right against the tension of the spring 105 and thus hold the arm 92 and its dog 93 out of engagement with the teeth 81 and 91 on the segments 51 and 52. As the cam 111 continues to revolve until the roller 110 engages the relieved portion 116, the position of the bell crank lever 99 will be changed so as to permit the dog 93 to register with the teeth 91 as above described, arresting the downward movement of the segment 52. Upon the roller 110 reaching the outer por tion of the cam 111, the arm 98 will be forced downwardly by the rod 109 so as to raise the end 99 of the bell crank a ainst the pin 101, which will in turn raise the arms 96 and 92 so as to move the dog 93 upwardly whereby it can seat in the crotch between the teeth 81 and slightly elevate the segment 51 so as to bring the type on the respective segments into alignment for printing purposes.

The several segments are raised and lowered through the medium of a plurality of cams, connecting rods and associated springs, as will now be described. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a shaft is pivotally mounted in the frame and caused to rotate by a driving pinion 121, Fig. 8. Keyed on said shaft so as to rotate therewith and with the pinion 121, in addition to the cam 111, there are cams 122, 123 and 124:. Said last-mentioned cams are adapted to be engaged by the rollers 125, 126 and 127, respectively, said rollers being pivotally mounted on the rods 128. 129 and 130, respective Said rods are each pivotally connected to the disks 6 1, 6 1a and 131, respectively, which are rigidly secured concentric to segments 50, 51 and 52, respectively. Each of said segments are connected to the frame by individual springs 132, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby the tension of the springs nornially tend to maintain them in their loW- ered position against the action of the cams. The arms 109, 128, 129 and 130 are bifur cated, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, at their upper ends so as to embrace the shaft 120 for maintaining them in proper alignment, said arms and cams being spaced from each other by a plurality of spacing sleeves 133. It will be apparent from the foregoing, that upon the rotation of the cams which are properly formed and timed with respect to each other, their engagement with their resp ctive rollers will move the respective rods downwardly so as to elevate the members or segments 50, 51 and 52 to starting or normal position as heretofore severally described. Thereafter, upon tne cams releasing the rollers, the springs 132 will tend to cause said members or segments 50, 51 and to be gradually lowered, but said lowering thereof being controlled by said rollers respectively in contact with the relief on th cams. The lowering of said segments will continue through the medium of the springs until they are arrested in a given position by the trip mechanism above described. Said springs 132 hold segment 50 with its engaged teeth 61 against pin 79, as well as holds segment 51 with its engaged serration 82 against the point of locking dog 79a, during the remainder of the cycle of operating lever 1 11, to insure the firm locking of said segments in their said arrested positions. The locking pin 7 9 and dog 79a are not carried by, nor operated directly by their respective bars 65 and 65a for the reason that said bars have a substantial movement when released which might tend to produce a recoil of said bars and their attached parts, or parts directly operated thereby, which recoil might tend to momentarily disengage said pin 79 or dog 7966, or both, from their proper notch or serration and thus tend to produce an inaccurate indication or printing. Said pin '79 being mounted upon member 7 5 independent of bar 65 and moved into engagement with its correct tooth 61 upon the initial portion of the released movement of said bar 01, by the separation of members 73 and 74-, quickens the engagement of said pin 7 9 and tooth 61 and prevents recoil and other tendencies toward inaccuracy of the result. The same is true of dog 79a and its bar 650 and their associated parts.

The arrangement of the notches 61, 81, 91 and the serrations 82, uniform radial divisions apart and slightly eccentric upon their respective segments 50, 51, and 52, (or in other words said relative eccei'itricity of the cooperating faces of said toothed members and their respective detents) greatly facilitates the accuracy with which their respective segments may be arrested and locked until the completion of the indicating or printing period, as well as greatly reduces the liability to inaccuracy, breakage and Wear.

To divide into ten, or other, spaces the difference in eccentricity between the first and last notch, or serration, on each segment, and arranging said notches concentric, would require great accuracy and smallness of notches and lock pins, with consequent great liability to inaccuracy, breakage and wear. My invention, in this respect, obviates this by making said notches relatively large and disposed upon a relatively large part of their respective indicators or segments, but to mount each of said notches or serrations slightly different distances progressively from the axis of each of their r spective indicators or segments so that their lock" V or dogs are only required to have a relat ly small movement to lock or unlock, and so that the more extensive or faster the indicator or segment may le moved the closer will the locking pins or dog progressively come to the tooth into which each of said pins or dog may be locked, thus enabling a quicker and more accurate locking proportionate to the extent or speed of movementof the member to be locked.

This greatly facilitates reat accuracy in operation, and obviates fineness of construction of the working parts as well as any inaccuracy from wear. The cams are so timed, and particularly the cam 12 1, that the lowering of the segment 52 will comnence after segment 51 has completed its movement and been arrested by dog 7% engaging a notch or tooth 82, predetermined as h :etofore described by hair-trigger 68a.

During the return to normal movement of segments 51 and 52 said dog is held out of engagement with teeth 81 and 91. so that when said segments are returned to normal, or their uppermost, posi ion the sharp edge of dog 93 is held away from contact with said surface 91a of plate 90, and said edge of dog 93 does not Contact with said surface 9164 except when the other end of said dog 93 enters the whole depth of any tooth 81 of segment 51, whereupon said edge of dog 93 is substantially in contact with said snr face 9164 at a point he space of one tooth 91 below the first or lowermost teeth 91. and in a position to engage therein, in'said instance, when segment moved downward by its S2 at the rate controlled'by its cam sprmy- 124.

In order to 1ndicate or print 1 such in stance, with the mechanism detailed in the drawin s, the amount or value of said one tenth of the whole movement of segment 52, 1" A l o f f n 7 i a i f n as we) that 0. an, omcr poi .ion no movement of said s ent. the printing or indicat g chara eters on aid segment 52 nrstbe arranged in the reverse order, so that, in sa1d instance, for said one tenth downward movement of sand segment 52 the character 0 will be caused to appear at the printing or indicating point.

in the instance heretofore described, the lowest portions of each cam surface of disks 13 and 14 and the higher portions thereof rep resent higher values; but if such arbitrary arrangement be reversed, as may be done by anyone skilled in the art without departure from the spirit or principles of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that in such reversal the order of arrangement of the characters on said segments and 51 will be reversed, yet the arrangement of the characters on segment 52 will remain the same due to the face that segment 52 is not arrested by anything but the position of dog 93 in any tooth 81 on" segment 51.

lhe bottoms of all teeth 81 and 91 are concentric with their respective segments 51 and 52, so that in the indication or type aligning movement, heretofore described, of said dog 93 the latter finds a uniform seat in the bottom of one tooth in each set of teeth 81 and 91.

When indicating higher charactes than 0 on segment 52, the initial position of the sharp edge of dog 93, at the commencement of the downward movement of said segment 52. is not so close to said surface 91a, and is held a distance therefrom corresponding to the greater height of that portion of a tooth 81 or segment 51 at which said dog 93 comes to rest. Furthermore, it will be noted that the movement of the cam and spring actuated rods, through their connection with the segments, will move the racks 62 and 62a back and forth through the movement of the disks Gel and 64a.

With respect to the driving mechanism, there is provided a manually actuated ban dle 1410 having a crank 141 pinned to a shaft 142 extending through the frame and connected on the other side thereof with a pinion 143. meshing with gear 121 keyed on said shaft- 120 for actuating the same as above described, and also engages and meshes with an idler pinion 14: 1- which is freely mounted on the frame in connection with a ratchet wheel 1415 adapted to be engaged by a pawl 14:6. 8, so as to prevent rotation of the mechanism in the wrong direction. Said function of pawl 1 16 prevents any backward movement of the operating lever 141, and the parts driven thereby, which might, and no doubt would, raise the indicating or printing portions of each or any of said segments, after the downward movement thereof had been arrested by their respective stop pins, and thus cause an incorrect indication or printing which itis highly essential to avoid in all instruments of precision. The idler pinion 14- 1 meshes with a gear 1 1'? which is connected with and rotates a cam 14:8 engaged by a roller 149 mounted on a link 150, which is pivotally connected with a crank 151 keyed to a shaft 152, which extends through the machine, as will be hereinafter described for operating the printing mechanism. On the other side of the gear 147 there is a cam 153 which acts upon a roller 154 mounted on a link 155 pivoted to a crank 156, which is keyed to a shaft 157, and extends through the frame for actuating the paper cutting knife. The roller 149 is maintained against the cam 148 through the medium of a spring 158, and the roller 154 is maintained against its cam by a spring 159. Keyed to a shaft 160 is a ratchet wheel 161 which is rotated a notch at a time by the movement of a pawl 162 pivotally connected to the link 155 so that upon the rotation of the cam 153, the ratchet wheel 161 will be rotated to the extent of one tooth and held in position by a pawl 163. The shaft 160 extends through the frame for receiving a winding drum for winding up a paper record strip as will be hereinafter described. Also mounted on the operating side of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1, there is a locking button 170, mounted on a square plunger 171 extending through the frame to the opposite side, as shown in Fig. 8. The end of the plunger 171 is beveled so as to engage a spring-pressed pawl 172 for forcing it out of locking position when the plunger 171 is pushed forward by the operator against a suitable spring, not shown herein. The pawl 172, when held in normal position by a spring 173 is adapted to engage a projection 174 on the shaft 120 adjacent the pinion 121, as shown in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines in Fig. 8. Therefore, before the machine can be operated or the handle 140 turned, the operator must release the mechanism by pressing inwardly the plunger button 17 0. This is to lock the mechanism and permit of its being unlocked by a single push of the plunger, followed immediately by a partial rotation of the handle, after which the plunger may be released. Pawl 172 is pivoted on fulcrumed pin 172a near its center. The lower end, 17 2b of pawl 17 2 rests upon the bevelled end 171a of plunger 171, (Figs. 8 and 10), and is held in said position by said spring 173. When plunger 171 is pressed inward the lower end 17 2-5 of pawl 172 rides upon said bevelled end 171-a. and, in the instance shown in Fig. 8 is moved to the right, which correspondingly moves the upper end of pawl 17 2 to the left in the instance shown in Fig. 8 in dotted lines, thus moving the shoulder 17 20 on the upper end of said pawl 172 out of the path of said stop-proj ection 174, thus permitting the handle 141 to be operated one cycle until it is again stopped by stop-pin 174 again coming in contact with the shoulder 17 2'@ of pawl 17 2. At the high end of bevel 171a of plunger 171 is a notch 1710 into which end 1726 of pawl 172 drops to temporarily hold plunger 171 in its depressed position, with shoulder 1720 of pawl 17 2 out of stopping engagement with stop pin 174. Upon the movement of handle 141 (Fig. 1) said pin 174 comes in contact with the inclined surface 172d, which, in the further rotation of handle 141, still further moves toward the left, in Fig. 8, the upper end of said pawl 172 and releases lower end 1726 of pawl 172 from said notch 1710, and thus releases plunger 171 to be returned to normal position by its spring 1715, which holds said plunger in said position with its pin 171d against the frame 10 (Fig. 10). From the time of the engagement of the locking pins or dogs with the teeth of their respective indicators or segments, the driving handle 141 and its connected parts become disengaged from further driving of said respective segments during the remainder of the cycle of operation of said handle 141.

The printed strip may be in the form of the usual tickets, such as employed in connection with cash registers and the like, which are originally in strip form and rolled upon a reel 175, said reel being supported by a bracket 176. The strip of ticket paper 177 is received in a suitable guide 178 and fed to the machine through the rollers 179 and 180 (Fig. 2). The feed roller 180 is mounted on a shaft 181, driven by the gear 147 (Fig. 8). Said roller may be provided with suitable dating mechanism (not shown herein) so as to date the tickets as they are printed. The roller 179 is merely a pressure roller mounted upon an arm 182 and held tightly against the feed roller 180 by a suitable spring member 183. The strip is fed through a metal guide plate 184 in position to be engaged by the type on the several segments. A recording or detail strip 185 is mounted on a roll 186 and car ried over a suitable roller 187 to a point adjacent the printing position of the ticket 177. Thereafter the recording or detail strip is rolled on a spool 188 which is mounted on the shaft 160, (F 8), and driven by the ratchet wheel 161.

Slidably mounted between the side frames of the machine, is a sliding impression plate 189 (Fig. adapt-ed to slide forward and force the paper and printing ribbon against the type on the segments under pressure. The forward edge of said plate is provided with a block 190 for pressing the paper against the type. Said plate 189 is actuated by an arm 191, the end of which engages in a suitable opening or slot in the plate 189, wherefore, upon the movement of the arm through the shaft 152 and cam 148, the plate and printing block 190 will press the paper strip against the type so as to print the same. Mounted above the plate 189 is a cutter 192, which is provided with an opening 193 through which the paper strip 185 may pass without being cut. The forward edge of the cutter 192 coacts with cutter 19 1 for cutting the strip 17 7 at that point. The cutter 192 is slidably mounted upon a fixed supporting plate 195 and is actuated by an arm 196 through the medium of the shaft 157, which in turn is actuated by a cam 153. From the foregoing, it will be observed that the cams and mechanism are so timed as to feed the paper strips into printing position while the segments are being moved upwardly to begin the operation and reach their proper position for being printed upon the segments being brought to printing position and aligned. Thereupon, the printing block 190 and the cutter 192 are operated for making a first printed impression upon the ticket strip 177, cutting the strip, and permitting the same to drop from the machine upon the recession of the printing block 190, and thereafter making a second impression on the recording strip 185. The data or recording strip is not severed, but wound up on the spool 188 so as to preserve a permanent record of the weights. As before mentioned, a suitable means for printing the date may be employed, such as substituting the usual type of dating roll for the feeding roll 180.

The printing by the type on the paper strips is accomplished through the medium of a single carbon ribbon, such as used on typewriters or the like, said ribbon being wound upon a spool 200 mounted on the outside of the frame and extending horizontally from one side of the frame to the other, it being wound from the opposite side upon said spool, the horizontal position of said ribbon being directly in line with the pressing block 190. The spool 200 is rotated through the means of a ratchet wheel 201 mounted upon a spindle 202, said ratchet wheel being actuated by a pawl 203 controlled by the movement of the pressing plate 189 so that upon the return movement of said pressing plate, after the impression has been made, the pawl 203 will be actuated to slightly turn the spool 200 and wind the ribbon thereon by slight step by step movements.

From the foregoing description of the mechanism and the cooperation thereof as described in connection with each part of the machine, it will be obvious that after the scale has been brought to weight-indicating position, the operator need only press in the button 170 so as to release the locked mechanism, and give the handle 140 two rotations after which a printed ticket will drop from the machine having the weight printed thereon. The weight may be printed to any amount. If the scale is such as to weigh articles of more than 1000 pounds, it will print the weight to a single pound. The same is true of articles weighing anything from one pound up. If it is desired to record a smaller Weight, the numerals printed may be in deci- '65a5 and 65046 in bars 65 and (35a.

mals or fractions of pounds, depending upon the adjustment of the scale. The machine as shown herein will print four digits. While the mechanism of the machine has been herein described in detail, it is obvious that various parts thereof may be altered or varied in many ways, without departing from the invention as hereinafter claimed.

It will be noted that the printing mechanism is so designed as to be capable of printing on both the ticket strip 177 and the permanent recording strip 185 through the medium of a single printing ribbon. This is due to the fact that after one impression is made by the movement of the block 190 against the type, said impression being first made upon the ticket strip 177, thereafter said strip is cut and discharged from the machine so that the recording strip 185 is presented to the printing surface of the ribbon. Thereafter, a second impression will be made due to the action of the two projecting portions on the cam 1 18.

If it should be desired that no tickets be printed, but that the record strip 185 only be 182a is turned from said fiat portion 182d sothat arm 182 engages the normal surface of hub 1820 the said roll 179 is held out of engagement with said strip 177 whereby said strip 17 7 is not fed any length at each operation. This being 'done, the machine will print the recording strip as it is operated, and no tickets will be printed or discharged.

Hair-triggers 68 and 68a are respectively loosely mounted on bars 65 and 65a by respective screws 65a1 and 65a2 loosely engaging an opening therein, and are held from lateral displacement in a slot in the forward enlarged end of their respective bars 65 and 65a. Secured on one side of said triggers 68 and 68a respectively are blocks 05a?) and 65ml resting loosely each in their respective slot Each block 65663 and 65ml is provided with an adjusting screw 65a7 and 65a8 respectively adapted to contact with the bottom of their respective slots 65615 and 65a6 to raise or lower the forward ends of their respective hair-triggers 68 and 68a, and correspondingly raise or lower the nose of respective pawls 68 and 68a resting in respective slots 69?) and 690 and across the tops of said respective triggers 68 and 68a, and thereby to render said hairtriggers more or less sensitive to being tipped.

The top surfaces of said triggers 68 and 68a, adapted to engage the nose of their respective pawls 9 and 69a, is sli htly inclined, at 69a2 and 69a3, and in the act of tripping or springing triggers 68 and 38a they are, due to their light contact with respective disks 13 and 14, and their said loose mounting, moved a slight distance toward the respective gears 64 and 64a, within the limits permitted by their blocks 65663 and (st in respective slots 65115 and 65(16, which said movement causes inclined surfaces 69(62 and 69123 to raise their respective pawls 69 and (3956 out of their respective notches 695 and 690, whereupon the mechanism is tripped with the results heretofore described.

The longitudinal movement of each trigger 68 and 68a is uniform for each setting of their respective screws 65a? and (35(58, and is compensated for in the mechanism so that no inaccuracies in the indicated or printed result may accrue therefrom.

Upon the return to normal position of bar 65 and 65a their respective triggers 68 and 68a are moved forward slightly to enable pawls 69 and 69a to drop into their respective notches 69b and 69a when their respective rack bars 62 and 62a are returned to normal position.

The invention claimed is:

1. In the method of operating non-sensitive means proportionate to a function of means too sensitive to operate the same without impairment of its sensitivity, the steps of associating said means in co-operative relation actuating said sensitive means by a medium a characteristic of which is determinable thereby, then operating said non-sensitive means with the required force, and during said last stated operation controlling the extent of operation of said non-sensitive means by a physical momentary contact with a portion of said sensitive means and which contact is of such delicacy as to not practicallyimpair the sensitiveness of said sensitive means.

2. In the method of operating non-sensitive means proportionate to a function of means too sensitive to operate the same without impairment of its sensitivity, the steps of associating said means in co-operative relation actuating said sensitive means by a medium a characteristic of which is determinable thereby, then operating said non-sensitive means with the required force, and during said last stated operation controlling the extent of operation of said non-sensitive means by a physical momentary contact of portions of said first two named means and which said contact is of such delicacy and brevity as to not practically impair the sensitivity of said sensitive means.

3. In the method of operating non-sensitive means proportionate to a function of means too sensitive to operate the same without impairment of its sensitivity, the steps of associating said means in CO-OPQliltlVQ relation affecting said sensitive means by a medium characteristic of which may be determined thereby, then operating said nonsensitive means with the required force to move said non-sensitive means, and during said last stated operation controlling the e1:- tent of movement: of said non-so ,sitive means by the physical momentary contact of a sensitive agency of said non-sensitive means with a portion of said sensitive means, and which said contact is of such delicacy as to not practically impair the sensitivity of said sensitive means.

l. In the method of operatin non-sensitive means proportionate to a unction of means too sensitive to operate the same without impairment of its sensitivity, the stevs of associating said means in cooperative relation affecting said sensitive means by a medium a characteristic of which may be determined therefrom, then operating said operating means with the force required to move said non-sensitive means, and during said last stated operation stopping further movement of any desired portion of said nonsensitive means upon the occurrence of a physical momentary contact between portions of said first two named means and which said contact is of such delicacy as not to practically impair the sensitivity or accuracy of said sensitive means.

5. in the method of operatin non-sensitive means proportionate to a function of means too sensitive to operate the same without impairment of its sensitivity, the steps of associating said means in co-operative relation affecting said sensitive means by a medium a characteristic of which may be determined therefrom, then operating said operating means with the force required to move said nonsensitive means; and during said last named operation stopping further movement of, and temporarily securing in its attained position, any desired portion of said non-sensitive means upon the occurrence of a delicate contact with said sensitive means of an operated portion of said non-sensitive means.

6. In the method of operating by an operating means a non-sensitive means propor tionate to a function of means too sensitive to ope ate the same without impairment of its sensitivity, the steps of associating said means in co-operative relation affect ng sensitive means by a medium a character of which may be determined therefrom, t operating said operating means a dciinne cycle with the to co required to move said non-sensitive means, and during the latter part of said cycle stopping further movement of any desired portion of said non-sensitive means upon the occurrence of a delicate contact with said sensitive means of an operated portion of said non-sensitive means; upon the occurrence of the next succeeding cycle of said operating means returning to normal position said stopped portion of said nonsensitive means during the initial partof said cycle.

7. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled mem ber on said scales, of a plurality of type hearing members, and means independent of said weight controlled member and separable from said type bearing members for actuat in said type members, to the extent controlled by said weight controlled member, whereby the indicated weight may be printed thereby.

8. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination of a scale, of weight controlled means adapted at all times to be freely moved by said scale proportionate to the weight weighed thereon, a plurality of type bearing members independent of said means, means in fixed relation to the normal position of said control means for immediately supporting said members, and means whereby the extent of operation of said members is controlled by said freely movable control means without thereby changing its position or condition.

9. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled memher on said scales, of a plurality of pivoted type bearing members each of whose axes is in fixed bodily relation to said control member, means mounted independently of said members and normally out of engagement therewith adapted to be brought into engagement and arrest said type members in position for printing the indicated weight upon contact with said weight controlled member, and independent means for operating said type members and for bringing said means into said engagement with said weight control member.

10. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled memher on said scales, of a plurality of pivotally mounted type bearing members, and means independent of said weight controlled memher and separable from said type bearing members for positioning said .pivotally mounted type members about their pivotal mountings to the extent controlled by said weight controlled member, whereby the indicated weight may be printed thereby.

11. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled mechanism on said scales, of a plurality of pivotally mounted type bearing members, mechanical means for moving said members about their pivotal mountings, and independent mechanical means arrested by the position of the weight controlled member for engaging said type members during their pivotal movement and locking them in position to print the indica-ted weight,

12. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a plurality of type bearing members, and means positioned intermediate said weight controlled and type bearing members and normally out of engagement therewith adapted to engage and position said type members upon engaging said weight controlled member, whereby said type members will be positioned for printing the indicated weight.

13. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled menibcr on said scales, of a plurality of type bearing members, means positioned intermediate said weight controlled and type bearing members and normally out of engagement therewith adapted to engage and position said type members upon engaging said weight controlled member, and means for engaging said type members and aligning the type thereon, whereby the indicated weight may combination with a weight controlled member" on said scales, of a plurality of type bearing members, means independent of said weight controlled member and separable from said type bearing members for positioning said type members to the extent controlled by said weight controlled member, means for feed ing a recording strip to a position adjacent said type members, and means for forcing said type members and strip against each other for receiving an impression, whereby the indicated weightmay be printed thereon.

15. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled memher on said scales, of a plurality of type bearing members, means independent of said said weight controlled member and separable from said type bearing members at points determined by said weight controlled member for posltionin g said type members, means for feeding a recording strip to a position adjacent said type members, means for forcing said type members and strip against each other for receiving an impression, and means for cutting said strip at a given point for permitting the discharge of the impressed portion thereof, and a common driver for operating all said means, whereby the inclicated weight may be printed thereon.

16.111 a scale, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a rotary disk associated with said mem ber, said disk varying in radius at different points about its periphery, a plurality of indicating members, and means independent of said weight controlled member and separable from said indicating members for posi tioning said indicating members relatively to said weight controlled member, whereby the weight may be indicated thereby.

17 In a scale, the combination with a weight controlled member 011 said scales, of a rotary disk associated with said member, said disk varying in radius at different points about its periphery, a plurality of indicating members, and means independent of sald weight controlled member and separable from said indicating members upon its engagement with the periphery of said disk at points determined by said weight controlled member for positioning said indicating members, whereby the weight may be indicated thereb 18. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a rotary disk associated with said member, said disk varying in radius at different points about its periphery, a plurality of type bearing members, means for moving said type bearing members, and means arrested by engagement with the periphery of said disk during the movement of said members for engaging and locking the same in a given position depending upon the rotary position of said disk, whereby the indicated weight may be printed thereby.

19. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a rotary disk associated with said member, said disk varying in radius at different points about its periphery, a plurality of type bearing members, means for raising and lowering said type members, a sliding bar actuated by the lowering of said members so as to be moved into engagement with said disk, a trip member for releasing said bar upon engagement therewith, and means for causing said bar to engage said type members upon the release thereof and locking them in a given positlon during their downward movement, whereby the weight indicated by the position of said disk may be printed thereby.

20. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a rotary disk associated with said member, said disk varying in radius at different points about its periphery, a plurality of type bearing members, means for raising and lowering said type members, a sliding bar actuated by the lowering of said members so as to be moved into engagement with said disk, a trip member for releasing said bar upon engagement therewith, means for causing said bar to engage said type members upon the release thereof and locking them in a given position during their downward movement, means for feeding a strip of paper in position to be printed by said type members, and means for forcing said paper and type members together for leaving an impression thereon.

21. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a pair of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said disks being stepped down to a smaller radius about its periphery, the second disk being provided with a ratchet tooth periphery having one tooth for each stepped down portion of said first-mentioned disk, a pair of pivotally mounted type bearing members, one for each of said disks, means for moving said type members about their mounting, and means actuated by the movement of said type members for engaging with the periphery of said disks for arresting a further movement of said type members thereupon and thereby positioning said type members for printing the indicated weight.

22. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a pair of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said disks being stepped down to a smaller radius about its periphery, the second disk being provided with a ratchet tooth periphery having one tooth for each stepped down portion of said first-mentioned disk, a pair of pivotally mounted type bearing members, one for each of said disks, means for moving said type members about their mounting, a pair of sliding bars actuated by the movement, about their said pivot, of said type members for being moved to engagement with the periphery of the respective disks, and means for releasing said bars upon said engagement for causing them to act so as to arrest the further movement of said type members at a given position, whereby the indicated weight may be printed thereon.

23. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a plurality of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said disks being provided with ten distinct variations in radius about its periphery, said variations being stepped down about the entire periphery thereof, and another disk being connected therewith and having a tooth-like portion about its periphery corresponding with each of said stepped down portions for varying its radius throughout a one-tenth section of its periphery, each section having the same variation, a pair of pivoted type bearing members corresponding to, and whose axes are in fixed bodily relation to, said disks, and means associated with each of said type members for arresting further movement of said type members upon engagement with the periphery of their respective disks, whereby the type of said type members will be properly positioned for printing the indicated weight.

24. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled mem ber on said scales, of a pair of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said disks being provided with ten distinct variations in radius about its periphery, said variations being stepped down about the entire periphery thereof, and the other disk being connected therewith and having a tooth-like portion about its periphery corresponding with each of said stepped down portions for varying its radius throughout a one-tenth section of its periphery, each section having the same variation, a pair of type bearing members corresponding to said disks, a pair of sliding bars adapted to be moved towards said disks upon the movement of said type members until the periphery of said disks are engaged thereby respectively, and a releasing latch on each of said bars for releasing the same upon engagement with their respective disks for causing them to engage their respective type bearing members and arresting their further movement for presenting the proper type in position for printing the weight.

25. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a pair of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said disks being provided with ten distinct variations in radius about its periphery, said variations being stepped down about the entire periphery thereof, and the other disk being connected therewith and having a tooth-like portion about its periphery corresponding with each of said stepped down portions for vary ing its radius throughout a one-tenth section of its periphery, each section having the same variation, a pair of segmental members pivotally mounted at their reduced end and provided with type on their arcuate face, means for elevating and lowering said segmental members about their pivotal mounting, a sliding bar for each of said segmental members, means for moving said bars toward said disks upon the lowering of said members, means for tripping and releasing said bars upon engagement thereof with their respective disks, and means for causing said bars upon their release to engage and arrest the further movement of said members independently of each other so as to position them for presenting the proper type to print the indicated weight.

26. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of apair of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said disks being stepped down to a smaller radius about its periphery, the second disk being provided with a ratchet tooth periphery having one tooth for each stepped down portion of said filSt-D'IGDtlOl'lGd disk, a pair of pivotally mounted type bearing members, one for each of said disks, means for moving said type members about their mounting, means actuated by the movement of said type members for engaging with the periphery of said disks for arresting a further movement of said type members thereupon and thereby positioning said type members for printing the indicated weight, a third type bearing member associated with said first-mentioned members, and means controlled by the positioning of one of the other members for engaging and arresting said third member, whereby all three type bearing members will be so positioned relative to each other as to print the indicated weight to three digits.

27. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled mem ber on said scales, of a pair of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said disks being stepped down to a smaller radius about its periphery, the second disk being provided with a ratchet tooth periphery having one tooth for each stepped down portion of said first-mentioned disk, a pair of pivotally mounted type bearing members, one for each of said disks, means for moving said type members about their mounting, a pair of slide ing bars actuated by the movement of said type members for being moved to engagement with the periphery of the respective disks, means for releasing said bars upon said engagement for causing them to act so as to arrest the further movement of said type members at a given position, a third type bearing member associated with said firstmentioned members, and means controlled by the positioning of one of the other members for engaging and arresting said third member, whereby all three type bearing members will be so positioned relative to each other as to print the indicated weight to three digits.

28. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a plurality of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said disks being provided with ten distinct variations in radius about its periphery, said variations being stepped down about the entire periphery thereof, and the other disk being connected therewith and having a toothlike portion about its periphery corresponding with each of said stepped down portions for varying its radius throughout a one-tenth section of its periphery, each section having the same variation, a pair of type bearing members corresponding to said disks, means associated with each of said type members for positioning the same upon engagement with the periphery of their respective disks, a third type bearing member associated with said first-mentioned members, and means controlled by the positioning of one of the other members for engaging and arresting said third member, whereby all three type bearing members will be so positioned relative to each other as to print the indicated weight to three digits.

29. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a plurality of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said disks being provided with ten distinct variations in radius about its periphery, said variations being stepped down about the entire periphery thereof, and the other disk being connected therewith and having a toothlike portion about its periphery correspond ing with each of said stepped down portions for varying its radius throughout a one-tenth section of its periphery, each section having the same variation, a pair of type bearing members corresponding to said disks, a pair of sliding bars adapted to be moved towards said disks upon the movement of said type members until the periphery of said disks are engaged thereby respectively, a releasing latch on each of said bars for releasing the same upon engagement with their respective disks for causing them to engage their respective type bearing members and arresting their further movement for presentin the proper type in position for printing the weight, whereby all three type bearing members will be so positioned relative to each other as to print the indicated weight to three digits.

30. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a plurality of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said disks being provided with ten distinct variations in radius about its periphery, said variations being stepped down about the entire periphery thereof, and the other disk being connected therewith and having a tooth-like portion about its periphery corresponding with each of said stepped down portions for varying its radius throughout a one-tenth section of its periphery, each section having the same variation, a pair of segmental members pivotally mounted at their reduced end and provided with type on their arcuate face, means for elevating and lowering said segmental members about their pivotal mounting, a sliding bar for each of said segmental members, means for moving said bars toward said disks upon the lowering of said members, means for tripping and releasing said bars upon engagement thereof with their respective disks, means for causing said bars upon their release to engage and arrest the further movement of said members independently of each other so as to position them for presenting the proper type to print the indicated weight, a third segmental member associated with said first mentioned members, and means controlled by the positioning of one of the other members for engaging and arresting said third member, whereby all three segmental members will be so positioned relative to each other as to print the indicated weight to three digits.

31. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a pair of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said disks being stepped down to a smaller radius about its periphery, the second disk being provided with a ratchet tooth periphery having one tooth for each stepped down portion of said first-mentioned disk, a pair of pivotally mounted type bearing members, one for each of said disks, means for moving said type members bout their mounting, one of said type bearing members being provided with ten teeth of equal size and depth, a third type bearing member provided with ten teeth of varying depth, and means adapted to be positioned by engagement with the first-mentioned teeth for selectively engaging one of the teeth according to its depth on the third member so to control the relative printing positions thereof.

in a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scales, of a plurality of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said disks being provided with ten distinct variations in radius about its periphery, said va riations being stepped down about the entire periphery thereof, and the other disk being connected therewith and having a tooth-like portion about its periphery corresponding with each of said stepped down portions for varying its radius throughout a one-tenth section of its periphery, each section having the same variation, a pair of type bearing members corresponding to said disks, a pair sliding bars adapted to be moved towards said disks upon the movement of said type members until the periphery of said disks are engaged thereby respectively, a releasing latch on each of said bars for releasing the same upon engagement with their respective disks for causing them to engage their respective type bearing members and arresting their further movement for presenting the proper type in position for printing the weight, one of said type bearing members being provided with ten teeth of equal size and depth, a third type bearin g member provided with ten teeth of varying depth, and means adapted to be positioned by engagement *ith the firstmentioned teeth for selectively engaging one of the t eth according to its depth on the third member so as to control the relative plilltill g positions thereof.

in a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled mem ber on said scales, of a plurality of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said di .18 being provided with ten distinct variatons in radius about its periphery, said variations being stepped down about the entire periphery thereof, and the other disk belng connected therewith and having a toothlike portion about its periphery corresponding with each of said stepped down portions for varying its radius throughout a. one-tenth section of its periphery, each section having the same variation, a pair of segmental mem pivotally mounted at their reduced end and provided with type on their arcuate face, means for elevating and lowering said segmental members about their pivotal mounting, a sliding bar for each of said segmental members, me ns for moving said bars toward said di upon the lowering of said members, means for tripping ano releasing said bars upon engagement thereoi with their respective disks, means for causing said bars upon their release to engage and arrest the further movement of said members independently of each other so as to position them for presenting the proper type to print the indicated weight, one of said type bearing members being provided with ten teeth of equal size and depth, a third type bear ng member provided with ten teeth of varying depth, and means adapted to be positioned by engagement with the first-mentioned teeth for selectively engaging one of the teeth according to its depth on the third member so as to control the relative printing positions thereof.

34. In a printing mechanism for scales, control means operated by the scale, a type bearing member, a driver for said type member, means controlled by said control means for disconnecting said type member from said driver, a counterbalance weight, an independent type bearing member, and means for positioning said independent type bearing member for printing a given weight upon said counterbalance weight being brought to operative position.

35. In a printing mechanism for scales, control means operated by the scale, a type bearing member, a driver for said type member, means controlled by said control means for disconnecting said type member from said driver, a counterbalance weight, an independent type bearing member, and a single means connected to said independent type bearing member for moving it to position for printing a given weight simultaneously with the bringing of said counterbalance weight into operative position.

36. In a printing mechanism for scales, control means operated by the scale, a type bearing member, a driver for said type member, means controlled by said control means for disconnecting said type member from said driver, a counterbalance weight, an independent type bearing member, a support for maintaining said counterbalance weight out of operative position with respect to said scale, and means for sii'nultaneously actuating said support for permitting said counterbalance weight to assume its operative position and move said independent type memto position for printing a given we ght.

37. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weighing scale, type bearin g means operable in definite relation to the mass on said scale, mechan cal operating means independent of said scale tor operating said type bearing means in definite relation to the mass on said scale, a counterbalance weight, and a support therefor mounted on said scale, or" a pivotally mounted type bearing segment, a bracket for supporting said counterbalance weight out of engagement with said support, and means for simultaneously removing said bracket for permitting said weight to rest upon said support for afi'ecting said scale and positioning said type member for printing the weight corresponding to said counterbalance weight.

38. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a counterbalance weight, and a support therefor mounted on said scale, of a pivotally mounted type bearing segment, a bracket for supporting said counterbalance weight above the support therefor and spaced therefrom, an operating handle, and means connecting said handle and racket for simultaneously lowering the latter until said counterbalance weight rests upon said support for operating said scale to move said segment about on its pivotal mounting to the position for printing a given weight indicated by said counterbalance weight.

39. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a plurality oi counterbalance weights of varying diameters, and a support therefor mounted on said scale, of a pivotally mounted type bearing segment, a cone-shaped bracket having stepped seats for supporting each of said counterbalance weights spaced from each other above said support, parallel supporting bars pivoted at one end to a suitable support and at the other end to said bracket for permitting the same to have vertical movement, an operating handle, and means connecting said operat ng handle with said bracket and segment for simultaneously operating the same for bringing the respective counterbalance weights into operative position on their support and moving said segment about its pivotal mounting in position to print a weight represented by said operatively positioned counterbalance weights.

40. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with the we? ghtcontrolled member on said scales, and a counterbalance weight, of a plurality of type bearing members, means actuated by the position of said weight controlled member for positioning certain of said type members in position to printa given weight indicated by said weight controlled member, and means controlled by said counterbalance weight for positioning a certain other type bearing member "for printing an additional weight upon said counterbalance weight bein brought to operative position.

41. In a printing mechanism for scales, the combination with a weight controlled member on said scale, and a counterbalance weight therefor, of a pair of rotary disks associated with said member, one of said disks being 

